Patients Find Success Haggling
As Health-Care Costs Climb

John Reidelbach was pretty sore after some recent hospital surgery, thanks to a really huge bill. But instead of just paying up, the Atlanta business consultant tried asking for a discount.

To his surprise, he got one. "I said I'd pay part of it right then or all of it over the next few years," says Mr. Reidelbach, who got $950 knocked off the $1,900 bill. "I guess they were in a hurry for the money."